1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for use in an electric range.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
The disadvantage of cooking with a traditional electric range is that the cookware rests directly upon the burner element. As a result, the coil-type element itself must include a relatively thick metal sheath of thickness and strength to support the cookware without deforming the element. In this type of range, the heat source cools much slower than other types, such as gas. The electric burner element transfers heat to the cookware in the electric range, while it is the flame produced by the burning of the natural gas or propane that transfers heat in the gas range. When the electric burner is turned off, heat is still transferred to the cookware because the hot burner element and the cookware are in direct contact. This heat transfer continues until the burner element cools to room temperature. When the gas range is turned off or with less flame, the gas flow ceases and the flame is extinguished. The heat transfer ceases at the point of shutoff, and the cookware begins to cool immediately. If the desired result is to lower the intensity of the heat transfer, the user of the electric range has to take into account time required for the burner element to cool to the new temperature setting. With the gas range, decreasing the gas flow lowers the intensity of the flame, thereby immediately decreasing the heat transferred. The ability to rapidly vary the amount of heat transferred has been the major advantage of gas ranges over electric. The present invention gives the electric range this same versatility.
The following U.S. Patents are believed pertinent:
______________________________________ 1,399,696 12/06/1921 C. P. De Roo 1,825,406 09/29/1931 Lipham 2,528,579 11/07/1950 E. K. Clark 2,635,172 04/14/1953 E. A. Rutenber 2,664,495 12/29/1953 A. Wehrli 2,761,053 08/28/1956 F. H. Schneider 2,825,790 03/04/1958 R. J. Sims 3,440,406 04/22/69 Sego, Jr. 3,700,856 10/24/72 Kullman 3,578,951 05/18/71 Ingrao 3,898,430 08/05/75 Sego et al 4,206,341 06/13/1980 Leuschner et al ______________________________________
Many of these patents were directed to deep well devices wherein the lower heating element could move up and down but would always maintain contact with the cookware. This is the case in the patents of Wehli, Lipman, and Schneider.
The patents of Sims, Rutenber, and Clark relate to devices in which the heating element can be moved from a lower position to an upper position for use either as a respectively deep well cooker or a regular top heating element. However, the cookware maintains constant direct contact with the heating element in these devices also.
The De Roo patent discloses an electric heater device used in an apparatus for determining the amount of moisture in a product which heats a receptacle containing the product to be tested. The electric heater device is immediately released and automatically moved away from the receptacle when the heat rises above a predetermined degree, thus ceasing heat transfer.
The Leuschner et al patent discloses a warming plate wherein the heating element can be pivoted about a point such that the element makes an arcuate motion about a fixed point up to and away from the surface of the warming plate.
In Kullman the heating element and all of the utensil support members are locked together with the trim ring, all of which are pivotally connected to the stove. The heating element is pivoted relative to the pan, i.e., it does not raise and lower axially vertically.
Ingrao is a vertically movable heating element using a complex linkage, diversion baffling, splash pans, etc. to prevent food spillage from contacting the linkage.
Sego et al '430 provides a vertically movable hot plate level adjuster which is held together by a center threaded nut. Solenoid actuated mechanisms raise and lower the heating element via rotation of a circular cam and follower mechanism.
Sego Jr. '406 shows an early form of hot plate level adjuster using an electromagnet.